Faurholt scores 24 points as Idaho tames Matadors

Emily Faurholt scored a game-best 24 points and Heather Thoelke added 17 as the University of Idaho defeated visiting Cal State Northridge 68-54 in Big West Conference women’s basketball play at Cowan Spectrum on Thursday.

Faurholt shot 11 of 18 from the floor while the rest of the Vandals were 13 of 39. Thoelke and Leilani Mitchell, who led all players with seven assists, were a combined 8 for 8 from the free-throw line for the Vandals (8-5, 3-1).

Jessica Summers added a game-high 12 rebounds to guide Idaho to a 48-35 advantage.

Ofa Tulikihihifo led the Matadors (7-5, 3-2) with 22 points, 10 rebounds and five steals.

Gonzaga 67, Loyola Marymount 59: Shannon Mathews scored a game-high 23 points, hitting five 3-pointers and 6 of 6 from the line, as the visiting Bulldogs (14-2, 3-0 West Coast Conference) notched their 10th consecutive win by defeating the Lions (8-8, 2-1) at Gersten Pavilion in Los Angeles.

The Bulldogs shot 14 of 16 from the line in the second half. GU’s Anne Bailey came off the bench for a game-high eight rebounds.

Lions reserve Rachael Ziemann hit five 3-pointers, scored 19 points and had five steals.

Oregon State 83, Washington State 55: At Gill Coliseum in Corvallis, Ore., Shannon Howell hit 12 of 13 from the line and scored 33 points as the Beavers (5-10, 1-5 Pacific-10 Conference) handed the visiting Cougars (4-12, 0-7) their ninth consecutive loss.

The Cougars trailed 48-39 with 15 1/2 minutes left, but OSU patched together a 7-0 run to pull away.

WSU sophomore Kate Benz recorded her fifth double-double of the season, hitting 7 of 8 from the line on the way to 16 points and leading all players with 14 rebounds.

Oregon 86, Washington 77: At Eugene, Ore., Andrea Bills and Chelsea Wagner combined for 41 points, and the Ducks (11-4, 4-2 Pac-10) closed the game with a 9-0 run to snap a four-game losing streak to the Huskies (6-11, 2-5).

Wrestling

Josh Erickson (165 pounds) and Evan Mattingly (197) recorded pins to guide North Idaho College to a 33-12 win over host Yakima Valley CC in the afternoon.

Jeff Hedges at 125 (17-1), Lee Morrison at 149 (14-0), and Garret Johnson at heavyweight (11-0) also had big wins for the Cardinals.

The Cardinals (11-0) then recorded a 29-16 win over Highline CC of Des Moines, Wash., at night. Hedges rolled to a 19-8 win to start the meet.

NIC last competed on Dec. 16.

Volleyball

The University of Washington rewarded coach Jim McLaughlin with a five-year contract extension.

McLaughlin, 82-39 in four years with the Huskies, guided the team to a 28-3 record and its first appearance in the NCAA Final Four in 2004.